Issue: The Legalisation of Marijuana
Stakeholders
Drug companies
Youth
Health care providers
Legal / Lawyers
Families
Communities
Recreational users
Governments
Medicinal users
Farmers
Schools
Substance abuse councils
Issues (What is the issue, how is it framed, how do the various stakeholders understand the
issue?)
Why is marijuana considered illegal (as compared with alcohol or cigarettes being legal) in many
countries across the globe when it has been scientifically proven that it is not physiologically
addictive? Alcohol and cigarette use/abuse kill millions yearly, yet there have not been any
recorded deaths related to marijuana usage. The contradiction is startling.
Positions (What are the positions of the key stakeholders?)
Recreational users / Youth: “Marijuana is not a drug, it is a plant.” “It’s healthier/cleaner to
smoke marijuana than to smoke cigarettes.” “It’s not bad for you; it’s good for you!” Cigarettes
have more chemicals and tobacco is worse than marijuana and yet cigarettes are legal. If we are
saying that the abuse of marijuana is bad, but compared to other drugs that are legal? Alcohol
and cigarettes kill the most people yet they are legal.
Governments / Substance abuse councils: You should not have to depend on something to live
your life normally. Out of the hundreds of substances in marijuana, only a couple are good for
you; the rest are harmful. It’s a gateway drug.
Drug companies: Not everyone who takes drugs becomes addicted. Drug addiction isn’t a
choice of lifestyle; it is a disorder of the brain or a genetic/chemical imbalance.
Legal / Lawyers: Comes down to the law and how that law affects the way society views
marijuana. There is much scientific research that shows it is harder to overcome alcohol abuse
than marijuana abuse. Two things to note here is that (1) it all comes down to abuse and (2) it
does not mean that marijuana is not a dangerous drug/substance. All drugs are dangerous, so it
goes back to the definition of whether marijuana is considered a drug. Also, if there is a
discussion around legalization of marijuana, one has to address at what age would it be made
accessible?
Farmers: An additional crop to focus on and diversify, increase their economic potential. Many
industrial uses for hemp (fibre made from male cannabis plant), which is the strongest natural
fibre in the world.
Medical users: It helps with the pain and brings back appetites of cancer and AIDS patients. It
allows terminally ill people to “die with dignity”, without much pain and suffering. Helps with
nausea, asthma, has anti-inflammatory properties and many, many more medicinal uses. Has
been used as a medicine/medicine base for thousands of years.
Issue: The Legalisation of Marijuana
Interests (What are the interests of each party?)
Drug companies: Economical – how can we make money from this market? Is it something we
can control and manage so that we are not “undercut” but individual persons dealing rather than
the large corporations?
Governments: Economical, political & legal – how can we tax this drug and generate revenue for
the country? Would our political stance affect our votes in future elections? What are the laws
we would need to address to manage this new system within the community?
Recreational users: Emotional, spiritual and cultural – having the right and freedom to engage in
a recreational activity that is not harmful to anyone, without having the prejudice of the people
and the threat of legal action to scare them.
Farmers: Economical – able to create a livelihood by planting, harvesting and selling the plant –
both as a herb and as hemp to maximize their output.
Youth: Emotional, spiritual and cultural – usage amongst young people would be highly
monitored as they would be considered a “vulnerable” group. Most may cite usage to help them
relax and keep them centred and grounded
Families: Emotional, spiritual and cultural – how does the usage of marijuana affect the wider
family, especially if even if the practice is legalized it still is not viewed on as acceptable by the
family?
Schools: Emotional, educational – how does legalized marijuana use affect the role and
responsibilities of the schools to educate the youth who will be using or are interested in
marijuana?
Medicinal users: Physical/health – usage of marijuana has had scientific positive effects on
cancer patients. Persons using for medicinal purposes would like these positives highlighted and
usage encouraged, it is not a drug but a herbal medicinal plant
Health care providers: Economical, legal, political – they need to ensure that they are making a
profit if they are engaged in this field providing a service, adhering to the laws governing this
and also following the governing political will. It is very difficult to make a profit from a
naturally recurring substance such as marijuana.
Substance abuse councils: Emotional, spiritual – To provide support to persons who may “abuse”
or “misuse” marijuana and will need support and guidance
Legal/Lawyers: Legal - How to manage the laws governing the use of marijuana, will it be
controlled? The process of addressing the legal system, putting legal structures in place to govern
this new system.
Issue: The Legalisation of Marijuana
Power (What are the power relationships among/between the different stakeholders?
Governments have formal power on drug companies, legal/lawyers, youth, families, health care
providers, communities, farmers, recreational and medicinal users, schools, substance abuse
councils. In turn, all these stakeholders have informal power on governments
Legal/lawyers have formal power on youth, families, health care providers, communities,
farmers.
Drug companies have informal power on youth, families, communities, health care providers
Farmers have an informal power on all the stakeholders